Forest Lake (Hamilton City)
Safety Score (12-month average)
16
–
Crime rate
67.9 per 1,000
Population 2,622
Total crimes (past 12 months)
178
Trend (last 3 months)
▲ 16.1%
vs previous 3-month period
Regional rank
#49 / 258
Top 19%
Safety Score (NZCHI)
Updated August 2026Forest Lake (Hamilton City) Overview
Most common offences by count were theft (43.3%), assault (32.6%), and burglary (19.1%). Percentages show share of offence counts in the selected time frame.
Crime Summary
The annual total crime rate in Forest Lake (Hamilton City) is 67.8871 crimes per thousand residents, placing it at rank 49 within Waikato Region. The overall crime trend in the area has increased in recent months with criminal activity peaking in Oct 2025, Nov 2025, Dec 2025.
Explore crime in nearby locations
Crime activity peaked in October, November, and December 2025.
Forest Lake (Hamilton City) crime statistics: common questions
Is Forest Lake (Hamilton City) safe?
Forest Lake (Hamilton City) recorded 178 offences in the last 12 months, a rate of 67.9 per 1,000 residents across about 2,622 residents. These are offences recorded by New Zealand Police, which reflect what was reported and recorded rather than all crime that occurred.
What is the crime rate in Forest Lake (Hamilton City)?
The crime rate in Forest Lake (Hamilton City) is 67.9 offences per 1,000 residents over the last 12 months, from 178 recorded offences across about 2,622 residents. A rate counts offences against a suburb's resident population, so town centres and commercial areas can show high rates because offences there involve people who do not live there.
What is the most common crime in Forest Lake (Hamilton City)?
The most common offence category in Forest Lake (Hamilton City) is theft, with 77 recorded offences in the last 12 months — about 43% of all offences recorded there. The next most common is assault (58).
Is crime going up or down in Forest Lake (Hamilton City)?
Recorded offences in Forest Lake (Hamilton City) have risen 16.1% over the most recent three-month period compared with the previous three months. This is a three-month comparison, not a year-on-year one, and short windows move around a lot in small areas.
How does Forest Lake (Hamilton City) compare with other suburbs in Waikato Region?
Forest Lake (Hamilton City) ranks 49 of 258 suburbs in Waikato Region by crime rate, where 1 is the highest rate. This is a ranking of recorded crime, not a safety rating, and it compares Forest Lake (Hamilton City) only with other suburbs in Waikato Region — not with the rest of New Zealand.
Where does the crime data for Forest Lake (Hamilton City) come from?
Figures for Forest Lake (Hamilton City), Hamilton City come from New Zealand Police recorded victimisation data, published through police.govt.nz, and are grouped to Stats NZ Statistical Area 2 (SA2) boundaries. They count offences recorded by Police, so they reflect reporting and recording practice as well as underlying offending.
Looking for a plain-English safety summary?
👉 See how safe Forest Lake (Hamilton City) is on SafeSuburbs.co.nz